Glenda Jackson at 80 has returned to the stage after a 25-year absence to play King Lear, one of the most exhausting roles in the theatrical canon. Deborah Warner’s modern dress production at the Old Vic lasts three-and-a-half hours including a 20-minute interval. Jackson has the stamina. She makes no attempt to be a man. She acts Lear and transcends gender. The king’s raging rants are delivered with a harsh-voiced power.
Sadly though, she is let down by an irritating rehearsal-room setting and below-par performances of many of the supporting cast. The storm, created with a big billowing black rubbish bag and projections of clouds and rain, completely upstages the dialogue.
